Rioters set fire to some 30 cars and several buildings on Tuesday night after news spread that an officer had shot dead a 22-year-old man after stopping his vehicle.

There have been more than a dozen arrests over the riots, including one in the Paris suburb of Garges-les-Gonesse where the slain 22-year-old grew up, after youths threw Molotov cocktails at police and set dumpsters alight early on Thursday. Riots erupted, and eleven people were detained by police after almost 200 officers came out in militarized gear, according to ABC News.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe promised an investigation into the man's death, according to ABC.

Tuesday's police shooting further highlighted tensions, and there was a marked lack of transparency about the 22-year-old's death.

Angry youths have burnt cars and confronted police in poor neighbourhoods of the French city of Nantes.

It was reported that a silent march has been planned for Thursday evening in Nantes over his death. "It lasted ages", a witness said.

Local police chief Jean-Christophe Bertrand said the youth had hit a policeman with his auto, lightly injuring him, after a squad stopped the vehicle at around 8:30 pm for an alleged infraction and tried to take him to the police station for identification.